LETTER FROM KALMAN
Dear Shalva Ambassadors,
Thank you very much for choosing to spend your time volunteering at Shalva. I
am deeply touched by your sensitivity toward our children and your dedicated
work. Our programming enriches the lives of thousands of children with disabilities
and supports their family members. Your valued contribution has enabled us to
continue providing these life-changing programs, inspiring hope and creating a
more inclusive Israeli society.
You became part of the Shalva Family during a very auspicious time in Shalva
history, a time of growth, having moved into our new home, the Shalva National
Center, making Jerusalem the host city of the largest and most advanced center
for disability care in Israel. This is an exciting chapter in Shalvaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ongoing legacy of
spreading love, hope, and human dignity.
I warmly invite you and your family to visit Shalva when you are in Jerusalem and
take pride in the fruits of your dedicated work and partnership.
With heartfelt gratitude,

Kalman Samuels
Founder, Shalva

LETTER FROM SAMMY
To Shalva's fantastic volunteers,
I am so appreciative for everything you have done for Shalva this year. As you all know
more than anyone, Shalva is an incredible place. The love, warmth, and happiness that
permeates through the halls is something that takes over a person having even the
most difficult of days. What is it that makes Shalva so special? The kids of course are
amazing. The building is stunning. There's very often free food or swag. The challah
on Thursdays always smells great. The underwater music in the pool is just plain
mind blowing. But for me those all come second. For me what makes this place more
inspiring, more uplifting, and more magical than anywhere else are the "Humans of
Shalva" in this book.
Now I know what you're all thinking, "Ya ya, that's all sweet and everything but you
HAVE to say that." Well with all due respect, it couldn't be more true.
This year I have had the opportunity to meet hundreds of yeshiva and seminary students
from all over the world. There are people who “do chessed” and there are those that “embody
chessed”. The difference is that anyone can “do” a good deed, it takes a really special person
to “be” a person of chessed and spread joy to others by just being around. The genuine love
and the way that you guys give of yourselves every week in order to see others smile and
succeed is nothing short of inspiring. The passion that you have for Shalva and its mission
is what makes Shalva the special place it is.
You guys have impacted me, the Shalva kids and their families, and the organization
as a whole; you have also impacted the world. “Amor me’at v’aseh harbeh” is definitely
the way that you have lived by through teaching and inspiring everyone who meets
you to not just “do” the right thing, but “BE” the right thing.
Keep on doing the little things and give your all to everything you do.
Yes, the ball pit is a blast, and yes, who doesn't like walking around with a cool key card, but
its people like you that make Shalva the magical place of inspiring hope and changing lives.
With much gratitude and admiration,

Sammy Schaechter
Director of Overseas Volunteers & Programming

ABOUT SHALVA
Shalva, The Israel Association for the Care and Inclusion of Persons with
Disabilities, is dedicated to providing transformative care for individuals
with disabilities, empowering their families and promoting social inclusion.
Non-denominational and free of charge, Shalvaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s programs provide an allencompassing range of services for thousands of individuals from infancy
to adulthood. Additionally, Shalva supports and enables families to raise
their children with disabilities within the family framework. Through nearly
three decades of award-winning programs, Shalva partners with various
institutions in advocacy efforts to create a more inclusive society.
The Shalva National Center's advanced programs and facilities create new
frontiers in disability rehabilitation, research, and inclusion; defining new
standards in the field and impacting the world beyond those in Shalva's
direct care.

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AILI
LAFER
To me S halva is not just a place where people volunt eer;
rat her it ’ s a home. It ’ s become a place where I can call home.
The people, the at mosphere, it ’ s all incredible. Smiles, energy
creat ed by the abilit y t o be limit less and f eel like you can do
anyt hing. S halva is a special place f or t he most unique people
H as hem has created. I’ m honored t hat I was able t o be a part
of this f amily here at S halv a.

HONEY
ROGOFF
Inter ning at Shalva on Mondays has given me a new perspec tive on my lif e,
as well as other s' . I have had the opportunity to work with a girl who has
opened my eyes to all that I take for granted every day. My experiences at
Shalva made me have a mor e open mind and not judge others so quickly;
we are all going thr ough our own struggles. Shalva has been an amazing
oppor tunity f or me whic h I am so gl ad I was able to experience.

JAKE
SAUER
When I f ir st b egan Shalva I was uncomfortab le with the kids. I had never
dealt with kids with spec ial needs before. Over time I began to see them as
r egular kids. Normal kids that need a little extra help and attention and the
b eauty of Shalva is that ever yone cares to make the kids happy. Shalva
c hanged my lif e and no money could buy the feeling I get when I'm there
volunteering.

JAMIE
ZUCKERMAN

I s t arted volunteering at Shalva and I didn't know what t o expect.
I was anxious becau se I never worked wit h children wit h special
needs before. As s oon as I g ot t o S halva all my nerves disappeared
when one of the kids ran u p t o me and hug g ed me. S halva is t he
mos t amaz ing prog ram and t eaches every child t o be t hems elves
and t o embrace their differences . I'm so happy I g ot t he
opport u nit y t o work in S halva t his past year and it has impacted
me in ways I never thou g ht pos sible.

JULIA
KREVAT
Working at S halva has t ru ly been t he hig hlig ht of my ent ire y ear.
My Wednes day morning s at t he pool have g iven me a special
ou t look on lif e and have helped me underst and what is really
import ant. B eing able t o wat ch t he kids laug h, smile, and g row is
an u nbelievable experience that S halva has g iven me, and I could
not imag ine volu nt eering any where else during my y ear in Israel.

JULIA
REICHEL
" Shalva is the happiest plac e on earth." I've heard that sentence thrown
ar ound q uite a lot bef or e I star ted volunteering at Shalva and did not fully
under stand how tr ue the statement is. My experience at Shalva has truly
been one of a kind. Not only does Shalva have a magnific ent b uilding and
c ampus, b ut I' ve met amaz ing teachers, Sherut L eumi girls, and most
signific antly WONDERFUL par tic ipants! Volunteering in the ‫ ג ן‬on a weekly
basis has taught me about the importance of b eing c aring, patient, and
selfless. I hope to c ontinue my involvement in Shalva for the rest of my lif e.

I w oul d l ook f orward to Wednesdays every week beca use I
kn ew th a t I was go ing to Sha lva. Vol unt eering at Shal v a
h as b een so much fu n, and seeing t he smil es of every girl
m ade ea ch mom ent there worth it .

RAFI
SUGARMAN
My experienc e at Shalva has def initely been one of a kind. H aving the
c hanc e to put a smile on those kids' faces is suc h an amazing feeling. T he
sec ond you get to Shalva you just c anâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but smile, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just filled with
so muc h happiness and love. Fr om visiting Shalva, to the carnival, and being
ab le to spend a Shabb os ther e is truly a privilege. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m so thankful I got a
c hance to get to know th e childr en and be there to brighten up there day.
Shalva is an amaz ing plac e and you definitely feel that the second you get
ther e.

EMILY
KORNBLUM
V olu nt eering at Shalva every Wednes day has been a hig hlig ht of
my s eminary y ear. I alway s leave S halva wit h a hug e smile on my
f ace becaus e whether it be volu nt eering in t he g an or having a
chag ig ah f or Pu rim, I feel the love and warmt h of t he S halva
commu nit y . The time I s pent at S halva has made a hug e impact on
my lif e and I will cheris h the memories g ained f or t he res t of my
lif e.

DAVID
JESSULA LEVY
People s ay that mag ic doesn't exist . Thos e people have never
vis it ed S halva, this place is f illed wit h lit t le wiz ards wit h
a incredible power which is t heir s mile. Their smile chang ed t he
way I s ee the world, and made me realiz e t hat t he pers on who
really need help was me.

LAURIE
REZNIK
S halva has been one of t he best opport unit ies I've had t his
y ear. To give kids wit h disabilit ies a f un and s af e environment
t o be t hemselves . To open u p t heir worlds t o new ideas and
dreams . To g ive t hem t he love and happines s t hey
des erve. However, volu nt eering at S halva hasn' t jus t been abou t
g iving, bu t about t aking t oo. I have t aken so many lif e less ons,
made lif elong f riends and g ained a deep er appreciat ion f or
what I have. I am so proud t o have been a part of t his amazing
place.

MADDY
ASSOR
V olunt eering at Shalva every week t his year has been an
amaz ing experience. The st aff in Gan Malki have g iven me the
opport unity to take part in every t hing g oing on including
hy drot herapy , g y mboree and reg u lar g ames in t he classroom.
The kids are so adorable and always lig ht up t he room t hey're
in wit h song s, dancing and unlimit ed hug s ! S halva is an amazing
org aniz at ion t hat has posit ively impact e d my lif e and y ear in
Israel, for which I am ext remely g rat efu l.

TALYA
GELLIS
For me my love of S halva start ed when I ran in t he Jerus alem
marat hon t hree y ears ag o wit h S halva. From day one I was blown
away wit h t he amaz ing org aniz at ion t hat is S halva and all t hey do
f or t he children and their f amilies. I knew rig ht away t hat I
want ed t o be a part of it! So aft er ru nning in t he marat hon
for t wo years , I st art ed volu nt eering at S halva on Wednes day
af ternoons helping ou t in t he g an. It has been a g reat hig hlight of
my week ma and I love g ett ing involved! I only hope t hat my
involvement in S halva cont inues in t he y ears t o come f rom wit hin
and wit hout Israel.

TAMAR
LIEBLICH
Walking in to Shalva b r ings a smile to my face every time. Seeing the
smiles on all of the kids fac es is so special. For the past year, I have
worked with the babies. The people that I have worked with are so devoted
to their kids and tr eat them like kids of their own. They are so passionate
ab out what they do whic h inspires me to help others constantly. E ven
when times wer e tough, the smile on th eir fac es remained and they never
got f rustrated. While wor king with the bab ies, I have learned to be mor e
patient with other s and have seen so much b eauty, uniqueness, and
individuality in eac h one of them. Just making them smile wer e some of
my f avor ite moments. Thank you Shalva for giving me this amazing
oppor tunity
to be a par t of something so b eautiful!

ATARA
SPRUNG
Working at Shalva has g iven me t he opport u nit y t o do s uch a big
ches s ed by g iving back to t he communit y . I was very lu cky to
have worked with a g irl who has not only chang ed my lif e but
als o my perspective on what ches sed act u ally means . My
experience at Shalva has t au g ht me t o have an open mind f or all
kinds of s itu ations. I am very g rat efu l t hat I had t he opportunit y
to have worked with su ch an amaz ing org aniz at ion.

TZIPPORA
TOPP
Sinc e 10th gr ade, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve b een involved in Shalva through raising money and
running in the mar athon. Although I felt connec ted to Shalva, it pales in
comparison to what I now feel, after volunteering at Shalva every week
thr oughout my year in Isr ael. At Shalva, I swim with girls of all ages and
abilities. As muc h as I tr y to help them, they have helped me so muc h
mor e. They have taught me patience, p erseveranc e, and to be kind to
ever yone. I have gained c onfidence in myself to help c hildren with special
needs, and the inspir ation to do precisely that this summer. I am so
gr ateful to Shalva for the amazing things it does for the children, the
f amilies, and for volunteer s like me.

MICHAL
KARBEN
For t he pas t three y ears I have been ru nning in t he Jerus alem
Marat hon with Shalva. Bu t , it was nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; t unt il t his y ear, when I had
t he opportu nity t o volu nt eer t here every week t hat I really
u nders t ood that not only does S halva t ransf orm t he lives of the
children t here, but t he volu nt eers as well. S halva has g iven me
t he ability to g row so mu ch in t he realm of working wit h
children wit h s pecial needs. And t he nerves t hat I had on the
f irst day are now all g one and inst ead I wait wit h excit ement f or
Wednesday â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to come so I can be wit h t he kids .

JORDANA
HORNBLASS
Volunteering at Shalva was tr uly an unforgettable experienc e. I was gr eeted
with c heerf ul f ac es as soon as I stepped in. Walking into my c lassroom
every Wednesday and seeing those little smiling fac es surely made my day.
T he teac her s wer e always so kind and friendly and always made sure I f elt
par t of the c lass. I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to
volunteer at Shalva with all thes e amazing kids. I always felt the war mth
and positivity thr oughout the b uilding. I am in awe by what this
or ganiz ation has c reated. Shalva gives these c hildren the hope and c ar e that
they need and I f eel so muc h pride and joy being part of that. I will
sinc er ely miss being par t of the Shalva family!

MARCELLE
SETTON
E very Wednesday , I looked f orward t o opening t he door of the
clas s room to s ee the babies first waking up f rom t heir daily nap. I
enjoy ed s eeing their happy f aces when t he music came on. I als o
wat ched them improve and develop t his year which was
as t ounding. I am truly amaz ed by t he care of t he s t aff and joyf ul
at mos phere at Shalva, which inspires me t o spread happines s and
care for t he people in m y life even more.

SHIRA
ROM
Home to me, is not r eally a plac e, rather its a feeling. Walking through the
doors of Shalva, I am instantly str uc k by feelings of warmth and love. I am
gr eeted by smiling faces and eager hearts. Working at Shalva has been one
of the most r ewar ding exper ienc es of my life. It has taught me that a r ole
model doesn't have to be someone older than you, or stronger than you, but
r ather someone who teac hes you the truest meaning of happiness. The
r elationships and connec tions I have developed this year have impac ted me
in ways I c annot desc r ib e. T her efore I would like to expr ess my heartf elt
gr atitude to Shalva for not only enr iching my year,
but for pr oviding me with a f eeling of home.

ABIGAIL
ZAR
E very day I enter the door s of Shalva, I gain unforgettable memories. No
matter how big or small, all have impac ted me greatly. One that really stuck
was dur ing dismissal. I was r unning around with three kids from my gan.
They wer e c hasing me ar ound, hugging me and just showing me their
utmost love and af fection. Watching their unc ontrollable and c ontagious
laugh, I r ealized how all my kids want t o give people is love and happiness.
T hey are all individual b undles of joy. These kids bring out the better side
of me. No matter what mood I walk into those doors, these kids never f ail to
make me walk out with a smile on my face.

GABY
BENELYAHU
V olu nt eering at Shalva has been one of t he most impact f ul
experiences of my life. I alway s look forward t o coming t o Shalva
and s pending time wit h the kids . Coming t o S halva not only has
made me appreciate what I have, bu t I have also g rown t o love and
appreciat e all the kids I work wit h each week. Whenever I come t o
t he s wimming pool I am g reet ed wit h hug s and kis ses f rom
every one and it leaves a smile on my f ace for t he remainder of the
week. I am s o bles s ed I have received t his incredible opport unity to
make my gap y ear in Israel t hat much more meaning fu l.

RAQUEL
KLINGER
When I fi rst came t o volunteer at Shalva I was unde rstandably super
nervous, but as soon as I walked in and rec eived a smi le and hello
from numerous c hildren t hose nerve s comple tely disappeare d. My
favori te mome nts at Shalva are when I wake up my ki ds from their
naps with a huge smile and t hey see me and smi le bac k with the
sweet est yawn. I now eag erly wait for Tuesday to c ome so that I c an
see m y kids. They are only t hree years old but I have le arne d so muc h
from them. I am so lucky to have been given the opportunity to
volunteer at Shalva. I will t ruly miss it but obviously c annot wait to
come vi si t.

ARIELLA
STIMLER
V olu nt eering at Shalva this y ear has been amazing ! I have loved
f orming a relations hip wit h all t he kids . S eeing t heir prog res s and
development f rom day one till now has really s hown me t he
amazing work Shalva does! It â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s t ru ly uniqu e how every one child,
reg ardles s of their backg rou nd and upbring ing , g et s equal love
and at t ent ion f rom each member of t he S halva f amily . It â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s t ruly
been an experience I will never forg et !

JOEY
TOLEDANO
V olu nt eering at Shalva has really had a major impact on me as an
individual and my y ear in Israel as a whole. From t he moment you
ent er t he S halva bu ilding , y ou feel t he warmt h in t he at mos phere
and y ou canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; t help but smile. The love and care g iven t o every
child is u nimag inable. When I ent ered t he S halva bu ilding f or t he
f irs t t ime I was at a loss f or words and I st ill g et t hat same
amaz ing f eel ing when I enter now. The S halva campus in it s elf is
amazing. They have all s ort s of amaz ing t hing s t o ensu re t hat the
children have an amaz ing time. I am s o happy t o be a part of the
S halva f amily. Looking f orward t o creat ing many more amazing
memories wit h Shalva.

JODIE
FRANKS
I have absolutely loved volunteering at Shalva over the past year. It is the highlight
of my week and working with the younger children is always entertaining!
Something I have learnt from everyone at Shalva is the power of positivity. Shalva
has truly changed my attitude towards life and I am so thankful for the
opportunity to be part of such a special organization.

MICHAL
BEER
Shalva is a place where everyone feels at home. It doesn't matter who you are, the
second you walk through the doors, you feel welcomed and loved. I am so
grateful to have had the opportunity to come every week. Shalva is not only a
wonderful place for the children. Anyone who works, volunteers, or even just
stops by for a visit, is bound to leave with a huge smile on their face. It became
the hig hlight of my week and something that really enhanced my year in Israel. I
have never been prouder to have been able to take part in such an incredible
organization.

EDEN
LAVI
Shalva has always meant a lot to me. The kids aren’t called special for no reason. They are
special because of the abundance of love they have to give. When I was told that I can
volunteer at Shalva I was more than excited. The moment I stepped through the doors, I knew
that Shalva is more than the regular eye can see. It’s special and the love and happiness that I
see completely shines. What makes Shalva special is the kids. The pure love and affection they
give is worth more than the world. Being a volunteer has been the biggest blessing a person
could ask for. They teach me so much each and every day. Every moment spent with the kids
is a moment well spent. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to spend my time at. The staff
is beyond incredible. The dedication they have is truly inspiring.

TOHAR
TSADOK
Friday’s have always been my favorite day of the week but ever since I started volunteering
at Shalva I couldn’t wait for Tuesday. The atmosphere the second you walk onto the Shalva
campus is simply loving and welcoming to everyone. Adorable children that I haven’t met yet
are waving at me “hello” and giving me hugs as they go home, leaving me with a huge smile
on my face every time! I look at my students as my own little siblings; we play games, read
books, and do circle time together every Tuesday. I went on a girls’ shabbaton and made
friends instantly because everyone wants to know one another, everyone cares that you’re
having fun. My year in Israel is almost up and I want to thank Sammy and the Shalva Family
for welcoming me not long ago and I’m happy to be part of this huge amazing family.

SHRAGI
ROTHBERG
Volunteering at Shalva this year was an unbelievable experience. Every time I
walk in, I can feel the love and care everyone has for these individuals and their
needs. Shalva is a place where no matter who you are or what disability you
have, you can call it your home. Shalva was definitely a lot of fun and a growth
filled experience, my year would not have been same with out it.

AVIGAIL
ROYZENBERG
Walking into Shalva feels like walking into a different world. The people are endless givers,
and the environment is so full of love and warmth. Shalva helps so many families and instills
them with hope, but they’ve also given more than they probably ever intended to. I’ve gained
so much from the great privilege of volunteering at Shalva. I’ve learned from the Shalva
members to always run for the joys of life and that a “disability” blocking the way, doesn’t
have to hold you back. Giving encouragement when someone feels restricted and watching
her succeed reminds me as well, that we’re far stronger than we believe. I’ve learned that
giving really does bring happiness and can really turn your mindset around. I’m in awe of
simply everything at Shalva and will carry the lessons I’ve learned from each person there,
wherever I go.

MIRIYAM
GOLDMAN
"Being humble means recognizing that we are not
on Earth to see how important we can become,
but to see how much difference we can make in
the lives of others."

A.J.
KAHAN
Working at Shalva has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me
throughout my year In Yeshiva. Having the opportunity to swim and play games
with the children was not only fun but also very meaningful. I have really
enjoyed being a part of the children's lives and witnessing their growth over the
year through the amazing work of Shalva.

DANIELLA
SCHOCHET
As a high school senior I had the opportunity to attend the Jerusalem marathon as part of a Shalva
fundraising delegation. Although I worked extensively with the special needs community in Los Angeles,
admittedly I was most excited about getting a trip to Israel out of it. That all changed when I saw Shalvaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
new headquarters, learned about the amazing services and programs they provide, and experienced time
spent with participants, families and staff of this remarkable organization. Before my flight left back for
home I knew I wanted to do chessed and volunteer at Shalva during my post high school seminary year in
Israel.
This year I have been attending Shalva on a weekly basis as a volunteer aid in the Gan program with a class
of 5 year olds. I have cherished my time helping and bonding with the special boys and girls in this class. I
have learned to better appreciate all of the children and to recognize them for all of their unique strengths,
qualities and abilities. My time spent at Shalva has truly impacted me on a deep personal level and has
strengthened my love and affection for Israel and Am Yisrael.

YEHUDA
REPHEN
I learned about Shalva when I was a senior at MTA and from that moment on I was on board. I feel so
blessed to be part of the Shalva family. I ran the Jerusalem Marathon for the last three years in support of
Shalva and enjoy volunteering every Thursday at the Shalva Center. The experience for me has been
awesome and made my second year in Israel even more incredible. Everyone at Shalva is so warm and
welcoming. I was able to find a passion that is incredibly satisfying. I volunteer because I really like working
with the kids and interacting with other volunteers. Being able to say I helped change someone's life in the
world for the better, gives meaning to my being here beyond simply looking after myself. volunteering at
Shalva takes me out of my daily life. It continuously teaches me something new about people, about
teamwork, about compassion, and about myself. In helping others, I am reminded that we are all in this
together and we need to remember to support each other in life. Life has so much to offer if we remember to
look beyond ourselves. Thank you Shalva!

MIKHAELA
MANN
Shalva is more than just an organization- it is the epitome of a home bursting with love, care
and happiness and I am so fortunate to have been a part of such an incredible environment
throughout the course of this year. More than anything I was able to achieve in my time
at Shalva, I have gained so much- It is genuinely the highlight of my week getting the
opportunity to see the most precious group of kids smile, laugh and grow and watching
their face light up with joy... despite their struggles they love life to the fullest with such
Simchas Hachaim which is truly inspirational. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m so so fortunate to have spent the year
making a kesher with the kids in my gan and making unforgettable memories with the
older girls which I know it will leave an everlasting impact on me!!

TZVI
MESSINGER
Volunteering at Shalva has enhanced my Shana Alef year in yeshiva in an extremely positive
way. Huge shout out to ‫ קבוצת תמר‬for having me and for dealing with my terrible Hebrew
skills week in and week out. Thank you so much Sammy for..well.. everything. We couldn't
have done it without you. I'm honored to be part of such an amazing and dedicated
organization that makes every single person feel accepted, joyful and full of ‫אהבה‬. It is
evident the second that you walk into the building that Shalva is a really special place. I will
never forget the relationships I've formed and the memories we made. Till next time.

LIAM
GOLDSTEIN
Shalva has been one of the most amazing and memorable experiences of
my year in Israel. It has taught me some life lessons that are going to be
hard to forget. I really am going to miss swimming, singing and
dancing with these incredible people and I hope to be back soon!